Megan Whalen Turner: The Queen's Thief and the Secret of a Long Career as a Fantasy Writer

Welcome back to Mythmakers for our sixth season! Megan Whalen Turner began her career in 1996 and is still going strong as her series The Queen's Thief becomes available in the UK and the Commonwealth for the first time. US readers have been enjoying the series for years and she won the Newbury Award and Mythopoeia Award in recognition of her achievements. Take a listen as she tells our host Julia Golding about her career, the books that inspired her, and her link to Oxford fantasy through Dianne Wynne Jones. Megan also shares with us her fascinating insights into her unique process for plotting! You can catch up with Megan if you are near Bath, England, for the literary festival. Visit the link for more information: https://bathfestivals.org.uk/childrens-literature/ For more information on the Oxford Centre for Fantasy, our writing courses, and to check out our awesome social media content visit: Website: https://centre4fantasy.com/website Instagram: https://centre4fantasy.com/Instagram Facebook: https://centre4fantasy.com/Facebook TikTok: https://centre4fantasy.com/tiktok 0:00 Introduction to Mythmakers Podcast 8:54 The Influence of Diana Wynne-Jones 13:01 Audiobooks and Storytelling 17:55 American Fantasy Influences 23:46 Cultural Storytelling in Fantasy 29:30 The Storytelling Process 35:44 The Mediterranean Influence 44:22 Advice for Aspiring Writers 44:36 Living in a Fantasy World